Sandra M. Bates

"This book is a must read for anyone who cares about the
well-being of humanity in our modern world."
--Jake B. Schrum, President Southwestern University, Georgetown,
TX

""The Social Innovation Imperative" advances a best practice
framework to solving the world's most pressing social issues. This
is a foundational guide to changing the world that will be
referenced for years to come."
--Michael Reynolds, Vice President, Product Development and
Management, Cigna Health Care

"Advancing the works of Clayton Christensen, Tony Ulwick, and
others, Bates gives us a systematic approach for addressing
critical human needs and the ecosystems in which they persist. This
book is a blueprint to help us solve the 'right' things--the
'right' way."
--Joe Grieshop, President, Chief Innovation Executive, netTrekker,
Founding Partner, Knovation Lab

"Bates lays out a comprehensive, needs-driven approach for
creating a social innovation road map. The detailed templates she
provides offer particular insight for large, complex
challenges."
--Sarah Miller Caldicott, author of "Innovate Like Edison" and
"Inventing The Future," great-grandniece of Thomas Edison

"Bates shows how to create comprehensive innovation strategies
using a six-step framework, and she gives the reader detailed 'how
to' instruction for each step."
--Ellen Domb, Ph.D., President, PQR Group, Founder of The TRIZ
Journal

About the Book:

In recent years, business leaders have been investing
unprecedented amounts of time and money pursuing innovation to
drive profits and growth. Although far from perfected, the
innovation best practices they follow are by now well
established.

But when your expected ROI isn't measured in dollars but in
social good, the game is played very differently--which is where
"The Social Innovation Imperative" comes in.

Sandra M. Bates has spent the last decade helping major
corporations create new markets for technology, consumer goods, and
services. Now, she turns her attention to the social sector. "The
Social Innovation Imperative" begins by explaining why innovation
in social sectors, such as health care, conservation, and
education, is unique and then provides the framework and tools that
create a best practice for driving innovative change that will
impact our world.

Bates organizes the process into action-oriented steps you can
follow to meet your goals effectively and in the most efficient
manner possible. Learn how to:

Investigate the Needs--define the social challenge, determine
unmet needs, and examine opportunities for achieving them
Innovate the Solution--devise a workable solution and develop a
powerful social business model
Implement the Solution--ensure the solution creates shared value
and discover techniques to make certain that it does not become an
orphan innovation

In "The Social Innovation Imperative," Bates combines everything
she has learned as a high-level business consultant to offer a
refreshing new approach for developing breakthrough products,
programs, and services to meet society's needs.

The Framework for Social Innovation outlined in this book
removes the mystery from innovation success and provides a
systematic approach anyone can adopt. "The Social Innovation
Imperative" offers essential wisdom for innovators
everywhere--whether nonprofits, NGOs, foundations, government
agencies, or corporations--who wish to generate meaningful social
value.